Chapter 38

"Wow, this is some good sake. How about I have a drink?"

Saying that, he tilted the sake flask I handed him and poured it into a glass, finishing it in no time.

The person drinking the sake like this is a man named Maddock, one of the loggers in the village.

Regarding the anger of the loggers that my father told me about, it's secondhand information, not something I heard directly from them.

So, to ensure clear communication, I came to the loggers with a gift.

Incidentally, the sake that Mr. Maddock is drinking now is something I bought in town as a gift.

It was a precious item that my father, who had been looking forward to drinking it, provided with a tearful face.

"So, what's the matter? Are you short on logs?"

"No, it's not that. I heard that the loggers are angry with me."

"Oh, I see. So that's why you came to me."

Maddock stroked his beard, placing his hand on his chin as he said, "I see."

When a kind old man with white hair makes such a gesture, it looks quite impressive.

My relationship with Mr. Maddock started with the cultivation of magic mushrooms.

I initially asked Mr. Maddock to supply the logs needed to grow the magic mushrooms.

Since then, we've had a long-standing relationship, so I came to him to hear his opinion, someone who understands me, to prevent any trouble.

"Maybe 'angry' is too strong a word. But it's true that not everyone has good feelings towards you."

"I see... So, is it because I'm taking too many trees? But I plan to continue with the development..."

"Hmm, it's true that Ars is cutting down a lot of trees in the forest. But there aren't many who openly complain about it."

"Eh? Why not? There are people who are dissatisfied, right?"

"Indeed, there are. But cutting down trees in the forest is also the village's mission. Moreover, you were asked by the noble to cut down the trees, right? So, they can't really complain."

Huh?

I don't remember being asked by a noble.

Perhaps the villagers misunderstood my getting a permit from the noble as being asked by them.

It's not true, but if that's how they see it, maybe I can use it as an excuse.

"But the loggers are really angry, right? Then, maybe we should make some rules. Like, I'll be careful not to sell too many trees and reduce the earnings of other loggers, or decide which trees to cut in the forest."

"Hmm, that could be one approach. But, Ars, you're missing the point entirely."

"The point?"

"Yes. In this case, it's meaningless if you don't understand what the loggers are angry about. Ars, do you understand?"

"...Is it because of financial worries? Like, they're worried about losing profits because of me?"

"No, at least I don't think so."

"Then, what is it?"

"Well, it's because your actions are disregarding our pride, our dignity, our honor—there are many ways to say it. It's that we find it offensive."

"Huh? I never meant to. I've never looked down on the loggers."

"That's why I say you don't understand. Listen, we are born into logger families, raised as loggers, and die as loggers. For us, the trees in the forest are both our livelihood and our treasure. We take pride in the act of cutting trees. Do you understand that?"

"Uh-huh."

"Then, how do you think we feel about you cutting down trees and leaving them to rot? Seeing fallen trees decay and become useless, how can we remain calm? Your actions make it seem like you're mocking our pride and our lives as loggers."

"...I see."

"But, as I said earlier, expanding the land by developing the forest is also our wish. I know about the noble's request. So, there aren't many who openly complain, or if they do, it's just a grumble. But, deep down, they must be accumulating dissatisfaction. I want you to be aware of that."

I see.

Maybe my father heard about the loggers' dissatisfaction and anger from Mr. Maddock, to let me know before the problem grew bigger.

Indeed, I might have been so focused on development that I overlooked others.

Maybe I need to take some time to think this through.

After listening to Mr. Maddock, I fell into deep thought.

Thank you for reading.

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